Wasteland 3 Post-funding Update #18

The latest post-funding update for Wasteland 3 brings us up to speed with the development process. New developers are joining the project and things are moving along in the pre-production phase. Prototyping, zone design, and concept art departments are well on their way. A few paragraphs on that:

Design Lead George Ziets and Lead Writer Gavin Jurgens-Fyhrie have crafted a strong pass on the overall narrative, and a full list of zones (areas) that we want to be in the game. We don’t want to spoil the whole list for you, but we’ll be talking about one of those zones (Denver) later in this update. George has detailed out each of these areas at a high level in something we call a Zone Constraints document. Those are then sent to our designers who generate “Zone Briefs” that further define the characters, story, and missions of the zone. If you want a refresher on our area design processes, George wrote a great update on it earlier.

But it’s not all paper design. Crucially at this stage we also have time to prototype and work on our tech, as we mentioned last update. Our art department has been setting up the technical details of the art pipeline and also has been making great strides on our technology for snow, as we explore all the possibilities our unique setting offers. Additionally, we are creating a concept art library for the game, which will ensure that we have a consistent vision on the game’s look as you move from zone to zone.

Engineering is largely finished porting over code from Wasteland 2, which gives us a solid technical basis, and is now working on the details and functionality of Wasteland 3’s multiplayer. It is crucial we have multiplayer functioning in our engine early, as it touches on every facet of our game. When tech is in a good place, systems design can start creating prototypes to experiment with combat, vehicles, and more.

A word on investment:

Today we have some great news to share! The SEC has given Fig approval to sell shares in Fig WL3 LLC. If you reserved shares as an unaccredited investor during our campaign, Fig will be contacting you to finalize your investment.

Detail on investment can be found on this page. As always, monies from investment goes right into the game’s budget, so this is great news for all supporters of Wasteland 3.

And, finally, the update includes an outline for the game’s Denver zone and its factions. Take a look:

Most of Denver is in ruins. During the end of the old world, a nuclear weapon exploded high in the air over the city, killing most of the inhabitants. The skyscrapers that remain are jagged, crooked affairs that lean against each other. In their shadows, the lesser buildings have crumbled, forming ever-shifting mazes and subterranean tunnels of broken concrete and rusted rebar.

These urban wilds are battlefields for the predators prowling the city, unaffiliated treasure hunters, and scavengers. Though the radiation is long gone, Denver is still a deathtrap, but one studded with buried riches from the old world.

The Denver Airport Commune lies to the east of the ruins and is now a colony of artists, hackers, conspiracy nuts, mad scientists, and assorted eccentrics. The Commune is centered around the Space Shuttle Atlantis (which landed here sometime after the bombs fell), and is dedicated to strange experimentation, acts of cyber espionage against the Patriarch, and MANY other things.

In the north is the mighty stronghold of the Gippers.

We shared a glimpse of the Ronald Reagan-worshiping cult in an earlier update. As many of you recall, the Gippers were a faction we originally planned for Wasteland 2, but now they will be appearing in Wasteland 3. The leaders of the Gippers are the priestesses known as Nancies – wives to the divine God-President Reagan, lawmakers, and judges. Above them all is the fierce and formidable Mother Nancy Reliance.